Method of cracking and gasifying hydrocarbons



Nov. 8, 1932. J. H. ANDERSON METHOD OF CRACKING AND GASIFYING HYDROCARBONS Filed Dec. 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WITNESS Nov. 8, 1932. J. H. ANDERSON 1,387,112

METHOD OF CRACKING AND GASIFYING HYDROC'ARBONS Filed Dec. 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN H. ANDERSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN METHOD OF CRACKING AND GASIFYING HYDROCABBONS Application filed December 6, 1928. Serial No. 324,228.

This ap lication is in part a continuation of an, application for Letters Patent filed by me on March 10th, 1928, Serial No. 260,576, but defines an invention of broader scope than that described in the said application. In the said application, I described an invention residing in a new method of obtaining a permanent gas of high heat value from liquld carbonaceous substances, but theinvention to be herein described is of a broader nature and includes the cracking and distillation of hydrocarbons generally, for the production either of a permanent gas, or of condensable vapors from which the usual products can be obtained or which in some cases can be utilized as produced. 1

The new method or process which constitutes the present invention is one in which hydrocarbons, liquid or solid, are continuously fed into a horizontally arranged, external- 1y heated, hollow retort, and wherein the gasifying, cracking and vaporizing effect of the heat is made more effective, or is supplemented, by the continuous andsimultaneous attrition of the residues by loose metal bodies which are tumbled about during the axial rotation of the retort, so that eventually the residues of the gasifying operation are largely stripped of all volatile matter and are usually reduced to a granular orpowdered residue, and, together with the evolved gases and vapors, the granular or powdered residue is continuously and automatically discharged from the retort, and the entire operation 1s carried on continuously.

In the accompanying orawings Figure 1 is a central sectional elevation of an apparatus suitable for practicing the said invention. I have shown it as utilized primarily for the obtainment of fixed gas from coal tar or other heavy liquid hydrocarbons. Figure 2 is a front end elevation omitting the supply tank. Figure 3 is an axial sectional plan view of the conical drum or retort. Figure 4 is a side elevation of the central one of three rings which constitute a lower thrust-bearing for the retort. Figure 5 'is a sectional elevation of said three bearing rings assembled. Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the front portion of the structure of Figure 1' as modified for the use of the apparatus for the distillation of coal or other solid substance.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the necessary heat is generated-in the combustion chamber 1 of the furnace 2 by means of burners 3 projecting through the front wall 4, and the products of combustion pass out through the stack 5 opening out of the combustion chamber. Rotatably supported in the combustion chamber by means to be described presently is the hollow retort 6, which is preferably a metallic shell of the contour of a truncated cone having at its smaller rear end a coaxial tubular throat 7, which projects out through the rear wall of the combustion chamber, and the open end of which is closed by a perforated'screen or lattice 8. The conical retort 6 is tilted over on its side and is supported within the combustion chamber with the lowermost longitudinal line of its side wall in horizontal position, or nearly so, as shown in Figure 1, and consequently with its axis downwardly inclined from front to rear. In the front wall 9 of the larger end of the retort 6, which is adjacent to the front wall 4 of the combustion chamber, there is formed an axial tubular throat 10, which projects outwardly through an opening in said front wall and to which is connected the tubular hub 11 r0- tatably mounted in bearings 12 formed or mounted in the heavy metal frame 13 in front of .the furnace. Formed upon or secured to the hub 11 is the worm-wheel'l i, which meshes with the worm 15 on the shaft 16 of the motor 17 Outside the rear wall of the furnace the downwardly inclined tubular extension 7 of the retort rests upon correspondingly inclined bearing rollers 18, and its outer screened open end projects through the inclined lateral opening 19 in theT 20, which has also the. upwardly projecting pipe 21 for the gaseous products coming from the retort, and the downwardly projecting discharge pipe 22 for the granular and more or less pulverulent residue. An external annular shoulder 23 is formed on the extension 7, and a cooperating internal shoulder 24 on the thickened wall or head 25 surrounding the opening 19 and between these shoulders are arranged .the bearing rings or annular discs 26, 27, 28, the ring 26 being pinned to the shoulder 23, andthe ring 28 pinned to the shoulder 24, with the ring 27 confined between them, as shown in Figure 5. The ring 27 has oil pockets 29 formed in its opposite faces, as shown in Figure 4, and lubricating oil is supplied to the bearing from the oil-cup 30 shown in Figure 1. A very effective thrust-bearing is thus provided for the rear or dischar e end of the retort, and one which is practical impervious to the passage of gas or air. 1 water-channel 31 is formed in the annular head 25, having a water-inlet pipe 32 and an outlet pipe 33, as also shown in Figure 1. At the opposite end of the apparatus the outer end of the tubular hub 11 is tightl closed b a stuffing-box 34, through whic passes t e oil-supply pipe 35, which leads from the oil-tank 36 through the hub 11, and opens into the rear of the retort 6. A cock 37 is provided in the pipe 35 for controlling the flow of the oil therethrough.

The mass 38 of loose metal bodies is shown in Figures 1 and. 3 of the drawin 5. When the retort 6 is at rest the surface 0 this mass forms a substantially uniform bed extending from the front of the retort to the screen 8, by which it is confined at the rear. When in this condition also the-mass within the conical body of the retort is of even depth on its central lon 'tudinal line, by reason of the fact that t e lowermost line of the bottom wall of the retort is horizontal or nearly so, or, as it may be said, the retort is supported upon an even keel; but by reason of the conical form of the retort, both the width of the mass and its cross-sectional area gradually increase from rear to front, the greater volume of the mass being at the front of the retort in the locality of the points of supply of the oil or other substance to be treated. The metal bodies of the mass 38 in being tumbled about durin the rotation of the retort become highly eated during the operation, and they impart'their accumulated heat to the charge.

The maintenance of a relatively large area and volume of the loose metal bodies at and in the immediate neighborhood of the region of supply is important, because the initial crackin of the hydrocarbons takes place very quickly; This of course results in the formation of a heavy, sticky residue and further cracking, together with attrition of the residue by the loose mass of metal bodies, and usually (though not necessarily) the residue is eventually reduced to dry, granular condition. While the latter operation is going on the initially cracked gaseous products are exposed to further cracking, and do in fact re-crack; so that, for example, in the obtainment of a permanent gas of high heating will permit. For that purpose the em loyment of a conical retort, as herein s own and described, is of great value. The gradual constriction of the path of the gases causes an increase in the velocity of their flow, which, while not preventing recracking, reserves their heat value so-far as is possi 1e.

The individual metal bodies composing the loose mass may be of a variety of forms. They may be spherical balls, or egg-shaped, cylindrical or polyhedral; or they may be irregular, broken chunks of metal; or the mass may include bodies of several difierent shapes. The bodies may be iron or steel; or, if desired, they, or some of them, may be of metal having a catalytic effect, such as nickel. In tumbling about within the retort the metal bodies continually agitate, stir and break up the tarry matter and other residue as it forms, until under combined heating and attrition the residue ultimately becomes dry and granular or pulverulent. The openings through the screen or lattice are of such size that the metal bodies will be retained in the retort, while the granular residue will flow out freely and automatically into and through the discharge-pipe or other outlet 22. The metal bodies keep one another clean, and they also keep the inner surface of the retort clean and free from any accumulation of residue, so that the heat will be conducted freely and uniformly through the wall of the retort. Therefore the operation will proceed continuously and automatically under the best conditions.

It will be understood that the residue will not in all cases be reduced to a state properly described as granular or dry. It may be in a greasy or fiocculent state akin to lampblack, or it maybe discharged while .still viscous, since the action of the loose metal bodies is sufficiently energetic to accomplish the latter result.

By reason of the conical form of the retort and the inclined position of its axis, the retort as a whole exerts pressure upon its rear bearing between the shoulders 23 and 24, thus making a thrust-bearing which can be effectively sealed by the means described, or by equivalent means, against objectionable leakage of either gas or air through the joint; and

claimed.

it is important that this hearing be kept as cool as possible.

It will of course beunderstood that if the substance to be treated is a very viscous oil tar or pitch, suitable means, such as a closed steam coil in the tank 36, and a steam jacket around the pipe 35, will be provided inorder to render and maintain it sufliciently fluid to flow freely.

In Figure 6 of the drawings I have shown the front or inlet end of the retort equipped with means for supplying a broken or ular solid substance, such as coal or oil s ale. The hopper opens into a tubular throat 41, which is suitably supported in registry with the outer open end 0 the tubular throat 10 of the retort, and a screw-conveyor 42, having a driving wheel 43 at its outer end, is arranged in said aligned throats, and serves to transport the substance into the retortl The operation will then proceed substantially as hereinbefore described.

The method herein described and claimed may be used to advantage in the production of either permanent gas or condensable vapors from either liquid, plastic or solid hydrocarbons. Therefore in the appended claim when I use the term gaseous products or gases, I mean to include either permanent gas, condensablevapors, or both.

It will be understood that it is contemplated that steam or water may be suppliedto the retort to assist in or improvet e operation. But that will not involve any essential variation of the process herein described and I claim as my invention The method of obtaining gaseous products from heavier hydrocarbons which consists in continuously feedin the latter into the larger end of a hollow conical retort tilted u 11 its side with the lowermost line of its si e wall in horizontal position and containing a loose ,mass of metal bodies, heating the'retort ex- In hand.

y JOHN H. ANDERSON. 

